Mechanism for converting a uniform motion into a variable motion



Dec. 26, 1950 Filed June 21, 1949 DCC. 26, 1950 M F, ARMELlN 2,535,774

MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING A UNIFORM MOTIOM INTO A VARIABLE MOTION Filed June 21, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imm-m 5 Attorney Dec. 26, 1950 M. F. ARMELIN 2,535,774

MEORANISM FOR OONVRRTING A UNIFORM MOTxOM INTO A VARIABLE MOTION Filed June 21, 1949 s sheets-sheet s /v om 'lndentavr Maurice fnv-:minis Avmel'm Attovhay Patented Dec. 26, 1950 2,535,774 MECHANISM Fon `oolrvllli TIISIG A UNIFORM MOTION INT A VARIABLE MOTION Maurice Franois ,Armelim Paris, France, yassgnr to Societe dEtudes de Machines speciales,

Paris, France Applicationiune 321, 1949, sentirne. 100,402

In France April 15, 1949 l2 Claims.

"The present inventidn has for its object a transmission mechanism intended to convert Va uniform rotational motion into a rotational m0- tion which is variable in accordance with an algebraic law, which law may either be predetermined to suit definite operating "conditions or be modifiable as `desired in operation and may involve either unidirectional or reciprocatory motions as well as periodicstops.

The said mechanism intended to convert `a uniform rotational motion .into an algebraically variable `rotational motion comprises a frame, `a driving member rotatably `mounted insaid frame, a driven pinion mountedcoaxially of said driving member for rotational "motion relative thereto, a `spindle mounted on saidfdrivirig member and parallel with the axis df said driving member, agplanetary pinion mounted on said spindle and meshing with said driven pinion, an elongated slide rigid with `said planetary pinion, pin carrying means `movably mounted on the frame, fa pin secured on said means slidably and rotatably received in said slide and adapted to guide thev saine, actuating means for said pin carry ingmeans Withregard to the `frame.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described hereinafter for the purpose of `exemplication and by -no means of limitation, reference `being had to the appended drawings inwhiche- Fig. l is a diagrammatic elevational section of the mechanism on line II in Fig. 2.

IFigure -2 `is a sectional View taken on line II-II in Fig. 1, the `planetary pinion being assumed to occupy the lowermost point -in its revolution and the slide rigid therewith being directed vertically upwards.

Figures 3, 4l, 5 and 6 a-re diagrams of the motion of the sun gear corresponding to various hired ipositions ofthe pin on the frame.

.A pinionl is mounted idle on a spindle 2 rigid with a toothed disc 3 keyedon a central bushing member 4. `Rigid with the `pinionlI is `a slide 5 provided" lengthwise thereof `with a central guide slot E. l'Ihe axis of slot 6 intersects the axis of `spindle 2 at `right .angles thereto. A plnl havingits axis parallel with those of spindle 2 yand shaft 4 and guided 4ina straight `slot 5i milled in a guide 9 rigid with the lframe is secured rigidly to a sliding rod IU acted upon by a cam Il. The reciprocatory motion `of the sliding rod may be derived from the driving motion itself or from the motion of parts driven bythe mechanism. Moreoven the pin 'I .projects through the guide slot E in slide 5, the ,diameter of the pin 'I being equal, due account "being taken 'f 2 Y the necessary play, to the width of eitherslot 6 orf. :Since the islide '5 partakes ofthe revolution `of the 'pinion "'I 'about spindle 2 it becomes thus capable both of'sliding on and of revolving about the pin l. The slot 6 may have any de sired length provided `the said length `is suiicient to "enable the "slide "5 to freely "move on pin il the h`extent `of the :maximum Vdistance that may separate the axis of the `spindle =2 `from that ci pin I `in operation; ratall events the 'saiddistance must `be :larger `than "the `crank arm length d eterminedby the fdistanceirom the axis oi spindle 2 lto the f-a'xis -of shaft 4. `A central pinion `I2 meshing "with `the 'planetary pinion :I is `formed with a hub extension` 'I3 nested in the central bushing member 4 androtatably mounted on a main bolt I4 coaxial with hub extension I3 "and bushing member V4v; keyed on that portion of the hub extension vwhich projects beyond the toothedfdsc `3 isa pinion `I 5. Y

The pitch circles of the central pinion i2 and of the planetary pinion `I `may or not be equal fin diameter. V

Normally, the 'mechanism is driven through the toothed disc 3 and `in its turndrives further rotatable 'members through `the `medium of pinlon It. However, in certain sections of the path of pin 1 it :may operate conversely and be driven through pinion l5.

The following is "a description of the normal' operation f the mechanism corresponding gto various iixed positionsof pin 1. By varying the said positions in operation it becomes possibleA to correspondingly vary the motion obtained;

With the 'pin secured in guide 9 anywhere between levels and C `the toothed disc '3 `is driven in ,uniform rotational motion from the outside. Isaia disc moreover performs the :funcL tion of a carrier for spindle 2 which c'o'ns'- quently will be revolved in uniform motion about the central bushing merbr 4. If the planetary pinion I were made rigid with the disc 3 a uniform rotational motion would be imparted the central pinion I2 since always the same teeth wouldV remain meshed with one another. However, owing to the actih `or the slide 5, a motion is imparted to said pinion 2 relative to the toothed disc B AinasmuchA as saidpinion isfrocked or angularly displaced now in the one and now in the other directions.; of course, this will only occur where the ,pin 'l isjpositionedlbelow level C. Pliiionsl and I2 will remain meshed `vt'zith each lthei over limited sections of "their periprii-` e'ies 'ept @there the latter is smaller than the former. Anyhow, an absolute motion is' is imparted to pinion I2 which is the resultant derived from:

1. The uniform circular motion of toothed disc 3;

2. The alternating circular motion resulting from the alternating rocking motion of pinion I relative to disc 3 through the medium of gears.

The amplitude and speed of the said alternating rocking motion increase as the pin I is moved away from level A towards level C. When the pin is exactly coaxial with bolt I4 no alternating rocking motion will occur, which means that the motion of pinion I2 will be uniform.

With the pin positioned between levels A and B the law of rotation of pinion I2 in dependency on the rotation of the toothed d isc 3 is of the same kind as the one illustrated in Fig. 3.

With the pin positioned between levels B and C the law of rotation of pinion l2 in dependency on the rotation of the toothed disc 3 is of the same kind as the one shown in Fig, 4; in this case the alternating rocking motion of pinion I relative to disc 3 is sufficiently ample and rapid to cause the pinion I2 at times to rotate in the reverse direction.

With the pin 'I positioned exactly at level B that corresponds to the' topmost point of the pitch circle of pinion I2 the diagram will be slightly deflected horizontally, which means that the motion, if not reversed, at least is stopped for a little while. Practically, such a level will be obtained by setting the pin 'l just a little above level B, with the result that theoretically a diagram as shown in Fig. 5 would be obtained, i. e. would correspond to a slight retrograde motion, while actually, due to clearance effects, said diagram will resemble the one shown in Fig. 6 that evinces an appreciable period of rest. Contingently, with a view to lengthen such a level, the clearances in the gearing may be designedly increased.

Most frequently, in the cases discussed hereinbefore, the gears will only come into action over part of their circumferences, so that toothed sectors may be substituted therefor. Also complete pinions may be used that can be reset in a different position onf their' respective shafts so 'that they will engage one another over undamaged portions of their peripheries. Each complete revolution ofthe toothed disc 3 corresponds to one complete revolution of pinions I2 and I5 rigid with each other.

With the pin 'I positioned at level C the mechani-sm is wedged.

With the pin I above level C the diagram of motion assumes a different shape: the movement is varied but its direction remains the same; the number of revolutions performed by pinions I2 and I5 is In any position of pin 1 the law of movement is given by the formula:

in which:

o designates the angle of rotation of disc 3,

a designates the angle of rotation of pinion I2,

d designates the distance from the axis of the wrist to the axis of disc 3,

R designates the radius of the pitch circle of pinion I2,

R designates the radius of the pitch circle of pinion I, the ascending vertical being taken as the origin of the angles.

Moving the pin I along the guide 8 will correlatively vary the law of movement; said law is expressed mathematically by the same formula as given above in which however d is no longer a constant but a function of e or of time or any other desirable variable; it will be appre-v ciated that very many different laws of motion can be obtained by moving the pin 1 in operation with the aid of an adequate mechanism in accordance with any desired law. For that purpose it will only be necessary to suitably design the cam il and to impart a suitable rotational motion to the same.

On the other hand, the curve described by the various points of the slide 5 in definite positions of the pin i possesses remarkable properties owing to which the motion of said slide 5 becomes` available directly. For instance, with pinions I- and I2 equal, B taken as the radius of their pitch rcircles and pin 'I positioned at level B. those points of slide 5 that are located at a dis.- tance of 5B or so from the axis of spindle 2 will move in the topmost portion of their paths along curves which very closely approximate straight line sections Vover quite an appreciable portion of their lengths.

The pin may be moved along a. straight line, or a circle, or any desired curve by an adequate mechanism. f

Amongst other advantages the mechanism de-` scribed hereinbefore affords the following ones:

1. It makes it possible to obtain largely variable instantaneous speeds which the user can modify at will even in operation. t

2. Very few variable-speed mechanisms have ever been devised in which a wide angle of rotation is available. For instance, with the aid of the mechanism known by the name of Sixleg Geneva movement, a movement is obtained which is variable over one-sixth of a revolution, which makes it necessary in many casesto multiply the motions, which results in excessive pressures being exerted upon the follower. The mechanism according to this invention does not suffer from this inconvenience.

3. The mechanism described, which is very simple in design, may be used quite advantae geously instead of certain devices which are very costly, such as elliptic gear trains. Over the latter it possesses this advantage that it is-adlg' justable in operation and that its'action isfless abrupt. v

4. It also makes it possible to obtain negative speeds, so that it may successfully be included in mechanisms designed to control the operation of certain handling equipment in which retrograde movement is required at a definite time, egg. to ref-,f lease the materials.

5. Owing to the peculiar character of the motion of the slide said motion may usefully be resorted to in certain handling mechanisms, notably for the operation of suckers. Generally speaking, all such points of slide 5 as will move along paths that very closely approximate a. straight line section may be availed of for controlling tl'ie actuation of parts that are wanted to move along at least approximately rectilinear paths.

What I claim is:

1. A mechanism for converting a uniform rotational motion into an algebraically variable rotational motion comprising a frame, a driving member rotatably mounted in said frame, a driven pinion mounted coaxially of said driving member for rotational motion relative thereto, a spindle mounted on said driving member and parallel with the axis of said driving member, a planetary pinion mounted on said spindle and meshing with 20 2,309,595

said driven pinion, an elongated slide rigid with said planetary pinion, pin carrying means movably mounted on the frame, a pin secured on said means slidably and rotatably received in said slide and adapted to guide the same, actuating means for said pin carrying means with regard to the frame.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1 in which the actuating means for the pin carrying means comprise a cam and a follower.

MAURICEFRANQOIS REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date James Jan. 26, 1943 Number 

